Valve actuating mechanism



May 19, 1953 w. MIZEN 2,638,926

VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed oct. 18, 195o :s sheets-shewI 2 May 19 1953 w. MlzEN 2,638,926

VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM arzzey.'

Patented May 19, 1953 VALVE ACTUATIN G MECHANISM Walter Mizen, VMichigan City, Ind., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania v Application October 18, 1950, Serial No. 190,745

. 7 claims. (ol. 137-658) This invention relates to valve actuating mech anism, especially to a valve of the oscillatingplug type.

A valve made according to this invention is used in conjunction with the reversing heatexchangers of an oxygen generator ofthe general type disclosed in patent application Serial No. 122,077, filed October 18, 1949,` butrit will, of course, be understood that the invention is'not limited to such an application.

1n reversing valves of the type referred to', it is desirable that the valve be quick acting, that it be operable with a minimum of power, and that the Wear be reduced to a 'minimum to keep maintenance costs at a low level and the keep shutdowns to a minimum. It is accordingly an object of this invention to providel valve actuating mechanism which operates eliiciently and rapidly and which produces a minimum of wear in the valve. This and other objects areaccomplished in a reversing valve of the tapered plugY type having actuating pins in one end of the valve engaged by double actingr cylinders'such that the turning force on the valve itself has a zero linear resultant.

In the drawings:

The pilot valve mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is disclosed and claimed in the patent application of Win W. Paget, Serial No. 35,092, led June 25, 1948, and assigned to the assignee of this invention. In view of the description of the pilot valve mechanism in the patent application of Paget identied above, the description thereof in this application will be somewhat abridged.

The pilot valve mechanism is mounted on a base 2 and includes four simple spring-biased valves 4, 6, 8 and I 0. The valves are actuated by rocker arms l2 and I4 which are controlled by a rotating cam I6. Valves 6 and 8 control the ow of high-pressure air from the conduit I8 and its branches and 22 respectively, to the valve actuating cylinders, and pilot valves 4 and HJ control the venting of thoseV cylinders by way yFig. l is a view of the pilot valvemechanism` y and the reversing valve with its valve'actuating mechanism. Asshown in Fig. 1, the pilot valve mechanism is shown in top plan, while the valve itself is shown in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation view of the pilot valve mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the valve showing the' rotatable valve body in one operating position. n

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the rotatable valve body in its other operating position C Fig. 5 is a view in section substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 6 is a View in section substantlally on line 5-6 of Fig; 5. l

Fig. 'l' is a top plan View oi the valve and its actuating mechanism on a smaller scale,

Fig.-8 is a partial sectional-view. substantially on line 3--8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view in section substantially on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig.V 10 is a view in section substantially on line IU--ill of Fig` "I, but rotated clockwise through 90, and i Fig. 11 is a side elevation View of the valve and its actuating mechanism similar to the View of the valve shown in Fig. 1, but with certain iluid y connections not shown in Fig. 1. l A u of branches 24 and 26 respectively.

A conduit 28 leads from the discharge connection of valve 6 to a pressure'fluid connection 30 of a cylinder 32 and, by way of a branch conduit 34, to a pressure iiuid connection 36 of a second cylinder 38. Conduit 2E leads from valve I0 to the conduit 28. Y

A conduit 40 leads from valve 8 to a pressure fluid connection 42 at the upper end of cylinder 38 and, by way of a branch conduit 44; to a pressure fluid connection 46 at the lower end of cylinder 32.

Air under pressure is piped from the compressed air receiver to the valve by Way of high-pressure conduit 48, and Waste gases, consisting largely of nitrogen, are exhausted from `the oxygen generator by way of exhaust conduit 50. Compressed air goes from the valve to the heat exchangers and waste gases come from the heat exchangers to the valve, by way of Vconduits 52 and 54. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the air and lwaste gases alternatein ilowthrough these two conduits as the reversing valve moves from one operating position to another.

As is best seen in Fig. 3,a conduit is always in communication with the high-pressure'line 43 by way of passages 58 and 60, and a conduit 62 is always in communication With the discharging waste gases by way of passage 64.

Y The conduits 56 and 62- are connected through a latable within the carbon liner M axis 18.

As is best seen in Fig. 5, the liner "I4 is provided with a tapered bore and is adapted to receive the tapered plug or valve body l. A spring 83 is positioned in a recess in one end of the plugfldwith one end bearing against the large end `of lthe tapered plug it, and its other end bearing against the spring seat s2. An adjusting screw 8d bears against seat 82 and permits adjustment of the amount oi compression of spring Si! and thereby the tightness-of the fit between the plug 'I6 and the liner lil.

The housing 'l2 is provided with thecored passage 5t referred to above (Fig. 3) whicheominunicates at its one end with the high-pressure conduit 43, and at its other end with a radial passage 85 through the inner wall of the housing and through liner la to the interior or bore of the liner. Between the ends o the cored passage 58, the passage is in communication with the bore ofthe liner 'lli by means of another passage 8B through the inner housing wall and the liner. Cored passages Se and 52 are in communication with the conduits 52 and 54 respectively, and register with radial passages Si and ils through the inner wall oi the housing and the liner.

The tapered plug 'i6 is hollow to provide an interior space 98 and is provided with radial passages Hill and |92 at opposite ends of a diameter. In addition, between the radial passages Ill and IU'2, the plug or valve body is provided with a concave recess IM. The recess it subtends enough of the periphery of the plug to span an arc extending between the extremes of a radial passage |06 and either of the radial passages 94 or 9S. Thus, in Fig. 3 the concave recess IM connects the radial passage Ill with the radial passage Se, and in Fig. l the concave recess IM connects the radial passage i345 with the radial passage 96.

At its one end, here shown as the large end, the plug or valve body l is provided with a pair of valve operators maand HQ. The actuating cylinders 32 and 38 are located adiacent the same end of the valve plug, preferably1 at opabout an vposite sides of `a plane passing through the of rotation 18.

As is best seen in Fig. 6, each cylinder is provided with a pair of opposed pistons reciprocahle in its bore. Thus, cylinder 32 is provided with suitably packed opposed pistons l I2 and Hd, and cylinder 38 is similarly provided with opposed pistons IIE and H8.

Pistons H2 and H4 are rigidly connected together by means comprising a piston rod E2G, and the pistons IIB and H3 are rigidly connected together by means comprising a piston rod 22. The piston rods 52u and 122 have associated with them means to engage the valve operators IDB and HQ.

The valve operator engaging means'and the valve operators themselves consist, in the enibodiment shown, of a pair of pins and cooperating grooves. Thus, in this embodiment, the valve operators |98 and Il!! are pins secured in appropriate holes in the plug 76, and the valve operator engaging means consist of grooves IEA and 25, groove |21l being formed by a pair of spaced collars t28 on the piston rod Ilim, and groove 125 being formed by a pair of spaced vcollars ISS on the piston rod 22.

The two valve operators i138 and Il@ (here shown as pins) are located Aon a line passing through theaxis of rotation lil, with that airis 4 lying between them. In fact, the axis it lies midway between the pins I and I Ill. The pins extend through openings 132 in the cylinders 32 and 38.

Operation In operation, the compressed air always enters the system by way of conduit 428 and waste gases always leave the system by way of conduit The compressed air and the waste gases alternate in passing through conduits 52 and In one operating position of the valve, the plug 'I6 is oriented as shown in F'ig. 3. Compressed air enters the valve housing from conduit passes through vthe cored passage 5i? to the radial passage 8B, through that passage and. through the radial passage Iill in the plug l5, to the interior space 953 of the plug and out through the radial passages lili? and through the cored passage 92, and to the reversing exchangers'by way of conduit 5d. Meanwhile, waste gases are received from the reversing heat exchangers by way oi conduit 52, whence they pass to cored passage Sil, through radial passage 84, through' the concave recess imi, and through radial passage Iii@ out through the exhaust conduit 50.

As the cam I5 rotates, as described in the Paget application Serial No. 35,092 referred to above, it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the cam follower of rocker arm l2 drops into the cam recess and opens valves 3 and is. Air under pressure is thereupon admitted from conduit I3 and branch conduit 22 through the valve 8, conduit 40, and connection [I2 to the upper end of cylinder 38; and by way of branch conduit 44 and connection l5 to the lower end of cylinder 32. At the same time, the lower end of cylinder 33 is vented to atmosphere by way of connection 3G, branch conduit 3e, conduit 2S, conduit 26,' and pilot valve lli, and the uper end of cylinder 32 is likewise vented to atmosphere by way of connection Sil, conduit 28, conduit 26 and pilot valve I0.

With the pilot valves in the positions referred to above, air under pressureis admitted to the operating faces of pistons H6 and I I4, while the operating faces of pistons H2 and H8 are subjected to atmospheric pressure only. As a. result, the pistons I I6 and I i8 will shift downward while the pistons H2 and H4 shift upward, effecting a clockwise oscillating movement of plug 'I6 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

In this new position, air under pressure iiows from conduit 48 through cored passage 5S, radial passages 86 and |02, plug interior 98,'radial passages I and 94, and cored passage 9!! to conduit 52 and thence to the reversing heat exchangers. Meanwhile, waste gases flow from the reversing heat exchangers through conduit 5d, cored passage 92, radial passage 96, concave recess IlI and radial passage IE6 out to the atmosphere by way of exhaust gas conduit 5B.

When cam IIS has rotated from the position shown in Fig. 2, the cam follower of rocker arm l 4 drops into the cam recess and opens pilot valves 4 and 6. Air under pressure is thereupon admitted to the operating face of piston H2 by way off branch conduit 20, pilot valve 5, conduit 23 and connection- 30; and to the operating face of piston H8 by way of conduit 28, as aforesaid, branch conduit 34, and connection 36. Simultaneo-usly, the operating faces of pistons I I4 and I I 6 are vented to atmosphere, the venting of piston H4 being by way of connection 45, branch conduit 44, conduits 40 and 24, and pilot valve 4, and the venting of the working face of piston H6 being by way of connection 42, conduits 40 and 24 and pilot valve 4. In this new orientation of the pilot valves, the pistons H2, H4, H6 and H3 are shifted in their respective cylinders to oscillate the valve plug 16 counterclockwise, from the position shown `in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the cycle is then ready torepeat itself.

With the arrangement shown, the valve plug I5 is moved by a couple consisting of equal and opposite acting forces operating upon `the pins H38 and l I 0. Inasmuch as these pins are spaced equi-distant from the axis of rotation or oscillation, the net linear resultant of the forces acting on the valve is Zero, with the result that the valve plug 1B and the liner 14 are subjected to a minimum of Wear. In addition to the feature of a minimum of Wear, there is also a minimum of resistance to motion of the valve plug in the liner, resulting in an eilicient and rapid functioning of the valve.

It is apparent from the foregoing that this invention provides a much improved reversing valve having the advantage of minimum Wear and efcient operation with a minimum of operating force. Other advantages Will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, -it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modied and embodied in various other forms Without departing from its spirit or the scope lof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve device including a valve having an axis of rotation and rotatable about said axis into at least two operating positions, actuating mechanism including a pair of valve operating pins associated with one end of the valve to apply a turning force having a zero linear resultant, a pair of actuating cylinders adjacent said end of the valve, a pair of alined pistons reciprocably mounted in each cylinder, means to connect the pistons in a cylinder together, means providing spaced shoulders associated with the last-named means to engage a pin, and pressure fluid connections for the cylinders.

2. Mechanism as in claim 1, in which said spaced shoulders are formed by a pair of spaced collars.

3. Mechanism as set forth in claim 2, and means including said connections to supply operating iiuid under pressure to one end of one cylinder and to `the opposite end of the other cylinder while venting those cylinder ends not under pressure.

4. Mechanism as in claim 3, in Which the actuating cylinders are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a plane passing through said axis.

5. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, and means including said connections to supply operating uid under pressure to one end of one cylinder and to. the opposite end of the other cylinder While venting those cylinder ends not under pressure.

6. Mechanism as in claim 5, in Which the actuating cylinders are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a plane passing through said axis.

'7. Mechanism as in claim l, in which the actuating cylinders are symmetrically disposed ion opposite sides of a plane passing through said axis.

WALTER MIZEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 679,437 Stark July 30, 1901 '789,081 Cravens May 2, 1905 836,317 Gerdes No-v. 20, 1906 1,842,382 Arey Jan. 26, 1932 2,085,688 Schuchman June 29, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 287,884 Italy Aug. 14, 1931 

